No More Scale

Saturday, June 21, 2014

I haven't blogged much lately, but I know I need to get back to a regular blogging routine, because the accountability of blogging helps me to stay on track.

In May, I went ahead and bought a scale. This might not sound like a big deal to most people, but it was a big deal to me! I much prefer NSV's (non scale victories) to measure my progress. But I've been stumbling for a long time, and a lot of people were suggesting that perhaps it was time for me to get a scale. So I did it, and decided that I would weigh myself once a week. Well after just three weeks of Monday weigh ins, I'd had enough. I found that I couldn't stop thinking about that scale just about every waking minute of the day. It was stressing me out. And even though I THOUGHT about the scale so much, it didn't do anything to help me stay on track. I still had the same amount of good days and bad days as I'd had before buying the scale. The only difference was the stress!

When I first started my journey in 2012, I was doing great. I was getting smaller, stronger, fitter and firmer. I was going down in clothing sizes, and going UP in energy and stamina. After 6 months of being on track, I weighed myself on my Wii Fit and discovered I'd lost 71 lbs.

But after about 10 months of doing well, I started to flounder. I was not making as much progress as before. I was struggling to stay on track. I began to have more bad days than good ones. I hit a plateau, and eventually I started to gain weight. I didn't have a scale but I knew I was gaining, simply by the way I felt and looked, and by how my clothes fit.

I tried to figure out where I was going wrong, but the truth is this....I really wasn't feeling very motivated anymore. I got lazy, and allowed myself to overeat and to skip workouts or not workout as hard as I could. When I bought that scale in May, I found out that I'd re-gained 36 of the 71 lbs I'd lost. Disheartening, but not the end of the world. I resolved to get back on track, and I thought that weekly weigh ins would help. But that wasn't the answer. So I've decided to stop weighing myself. I've packed the scale up and put it away.

I'm going to go back to judging my progress by NSV's. This has worked for me in the past and I know it will work for me again if I am really committed. I'm going back to what worked for me in the very beginning. Not just looking for NSV's, but also focusing my efforts on getting healthy as opposed to getting thin. When I first started my journey, my goal was simply to do my best to make each day as healthy as possible. Somewhere along the line, I lost that focus. I started to think about losing weight instead of gaining health. Of course I want to lose weight, but that will just be an added benefit as I work to be as strong and healthy as I possibly can be. Thats where my focus is now, and I'm looking forward to making progress again!

I like the idea of not weighing, but I'm just not there yet and/or have no real NSVs to share. I think someday I will get where the scale is secondary to feeling good--so happy for you to be where you are now (i.e. no scale) despite the gain. It takes fortitude and courage to strive forward. You got this!

I am so happy to hear that you are focusing on your health again and not just your weight! I still weigh daily, but that certainly doesn't work for everyone. Great job finding something that works for you!

I was reading old emails and came across your blog about buying the scale and how you exercised instead of eating junk. You were excited. But then the scale became an obsession. It's mine! I went through that. Everything I put in my mouth or how the minutes of exercise didn't reflect those numbers. I would let the number dictate how my day would be. Crazy! Now that I'm back on track I actually weigh myself everyday. It doesn't make me depressed anymore. It gives me an idea and reminder to take salads with me for lunch, or skip the fast food. Have a great day and thanks for posting. (I've been missing you)

I agree 100%! I know how the scale sabotages my own efforts. I'm back to focusing on the same goal your are, health! I wish you the best Pixie! I know you will do your best, especially now that you don't have the scale to stress you out!

You are so right, the focus needs to be on health, not weight loss. I was hung up on the scale for a long time, put it away for a long time, and now have it out again and seem to have gotten over my incessant need to know how much I weigh. I am weighing once a week for a challenge team I am on, which is more than I have done for a while. (used to be multiple times a day before I put it away) I think the reason is because my focus has become health, and because of your blogs, my indicators are the NSV's more than the scale. It's a way less stressful way to live. Making the healthiest choice each time is relatively simple concept to live by... Have a great day, thanks for another inspiring blog!!!

I'm not sure if this will be helpful, but maybe...??? We have not kept a scale in our house for years - maybe 20+ years. For a while, Weight Watchers was my once a week weigh in area. Now, we have a grocery store chain in our area that has always kept a public scale available where we weigh about once a week. They have actually upgraded and put in a HIGI system, where you sit on bench and get a weight digital figure. This has worked better for me because I can get obsessed with a scale in the house.

The scale doesn't know the difference between muscle and fat or between fat and water. I sometimes find myself trying to manipulate that number on the scale instead of focusing on the important stuff like forming new habits and changing the composition of my body to more muscle and less fat. Your clothes are a much better measure.

I can relate to what you are saying. I lost 65 pounds four years ago. In the meantime, I started taking a medication to help with depression. Guess what? In the past years I have gained 40 pounds back. I was in denial at first, but I have been working hard since 2/1/14 and I have lost 12-15 pounds. The weight is coming off very slowly and I get discouraged because the scales does not show the progress like my measurements have. My clothes fit better and I look better so that should be all I need to feel good about myself. I find myself feeling discouraged and I think the scales is the reason.

I'm where you are. My husband has offered to box up the scale. Newlyweds, because when I said NO, he didn't do it. He and I both know it's what needs to be done. I can't handle the scale in the location where it is. I wouldn't say we should get rid of it, but I need it to be in a less accessible place in the house. I've been stepping on it every day. As much as I don't want it to dictate my mood, it does have an impact...

I sometimes hate getting on the scale. Some weigh ins are better than others. I look like I have lost more weight than I really have. I have lost a lot of fat and gained muscle. The scale doesn't reflect that. Good luck with your weight loss journey. I look forward to reading your progress without the scale.

Great blog. I felt like I was reading my own story! I have followed the same path as you. I can especially relate to losing my focus on being healthy and focusing on being thin. I need to get back to basics and getting healthy. Thanks for the nudge.

I think I need to get rid of my scale. I know that it is a tool but for me it is the devil. I abscess over the scale to. If I haven't lost weight after being really good it sends me into a tail spin. I don't understand how this scale has so much power over me cause I know that sometimes you are losing inches. But for some darn reason I let it process me .lol silly I am not going to use the scale until my clothes fall off. Haha I am glad I am not alone and that I have spark people to vent with. Thanks for being my spark friend